Matrix Moderation Tool

A Matrix moderation tool to make managing a Synapse server easier.

Contact me at @michael:perthchat.org if you get stuck or have an edit in mind.

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Licensing

This work is published under the MIT license, for more information on this license see here: https://opensource.org/license/mit/

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Setup script

You can hard code the server URL, federation port and access token into the hardcoded_variables.py file for faster use, it will prompt you for these values if you don't.

Your access token can be found in Element > Settings > Help & About, your user account must first be upgraded to a server admin.

This script also requires you to install the following PIP packages:

pip3 install python-whois
pip3 install requests
pip3 install pyAesCrypt

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Upgrade user to 'server admin'

https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/tree/master/docs/admin_api

“So first connect to the correct db and then run the UPDATE users...”

$ sudo -i -u postgres

$ psql synapse

synapse=# UPDATE users SET admin=1 WHERE name='@PC-Admin:perthchat.org';

UPDATE 1

synapse=#

‘-’ sign instead of ‘=’ means:

It means you didn't type a complete SQL query yet.

You need a semicolon to terminate the command.

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Make sure /_synapse/ is mapped

A few of the commands will not work unless /_synapse/ is mapped to port 8008. Here is a example for nginx:

    location /_matrix {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8008;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
    }

    location /_synapse {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8008;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
    }

You can also run the script locally on your server if you do not wish to map /_synapse/.

With the popular matrix-docker-ansible-deploy playbook you can expose this API interface by enabling 'Synapse Admin':

matrix_synapse_admin_enabled: true

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Roadmap

To do:

1. Add the following functions:

• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#account-data - DONE
• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#list-all-pushers - DONE
• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#override-ratelimiting-for-users - DONE
• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#check-username-availability - DONE
• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#find-a-user-based-on-their-id-in-an-auth-provider
• https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#find-a-user-based-on-their-third-party-id-threepid-or-3pid
• https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/blob/master/docs/admin_api/delete_group.md

2. Make the menu prettier! - DONE
3. Modularise the functions into multiple files - DONE
4. Use URI module for all API calls instead of curl - DONE
5. Add more automated rdlist function with sane defaults - DONE
6. Add fully automated (should just return a web link and decryption password) reporting functions for users:

• Description of why the report was made (what happened)
• User's ID - DONE
• Whois Data - DONE
• Account Data - DONE
• Query Data - DONE
• Pushers List - DONE
• IPs + ipinfo Data - DONE
• List of the rooms the user is participating in, divided into 1:1 conversations and larger rooms
• Any other usernames associated with that IP
• Timestamp for when illegal material was accessed
• Description of report format and contents (to guide the reader)

7. Add a room report function to create a properly formatted report for rdlist
8. Add a function to extract a users email or 3PID
9. Do room shutdowns in parallel?
10. Add function for probing the support email of another server automatically
11. Automated incident report email to other server owners for more scalable coordination
12. Automated public room joining and reminder if reporting email is not available?

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rdlist Functionality

'rdlist' is a comprehensive list of child abuse related rooms on Matrix, it's a safety initiative led by the Legion of Janitors.

This script can automatically load and block/purge abusive rooms from rdlist, making it very easy for inexperienced administrators to block this harmful content.

If you are running a public server, please dm me at @michael:perthchat.org and I can invite you to the 'Legion of Janitors' room.

Once you have read access to the rdlist repository, simply run this moderation script like so:

$ python3 moderation_tool.py 

Please select one of the following options:
...
#### rdlist ####
30) Block all rooms with specific rdlist tags.
34) Block all rooms with recommended rdlist tags.
('q' or 'e') Exit.

34

Successfully set user as server admin.
rdlist repo already cloned...
Fetching origin
rdlist repo is up-to-date, no need to pull changes.

Using recommended rdlist tags.


Number of rooms being shutdown: 318

Are you sure you want to shutdown these rooms? y/n? y

https://matrix.perthchat.org/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/!***REDACTED***:matrix.org/state

{"errcode":"M_NOT_FOUND","error":"Room not found"}
The room was not found.

https://matrix.perthchat.org/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/!***REDACTED***:cuteworld.space/state

{"errcode":"M_NOT_FOUND","error":"Room not found"}
The room was not found.

https://matrix.perthchat.org/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/!***REDACTED***:matrix.org/state

{"errcode":"M_NOT_FOUND","error":"Room not found"}
The room was not found.

https://matrix.perthchat.org/_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/!***REDACTED***:matrix.org/state

{"errcode":"M_NOT_FOUND","error":"Room not found"}
The room was not found.
...

Note that this script before shutting these rooms down will save the state events to the "./state_events" folder, please keep this data as it's important for law enforcement.

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One-touch Reporting

WARNING: This section is under heavy development and shouldn't be used by anyone!!!

This script can automatically generate reports about user accounts for law enforcement.

It collects as much data about the target user account as possible, then packages it into an encrypted ZIP file that can be shared:

Please enter a number from the above menu, or enter 'q' or 'e' to exit.

70

Please enter the username to automatically generate a report: michael

...

Report generated successfully on user: "michael"

You can send this .zip file and password when reporting a user to law enforcement.

Password: RwiFrw9zouhVO7Dy9kW7
Encrypted .zip file location: ./reports/michael_2023-07-23_02-21-56.zip.aes
Encrypted .zip file size: 0.503927 MB